Research
Dr. Murray’s research interests focus on improving the productivity, sustainability (economic and environmental) and quality of agricultural production through scientific research and development; mostly in maize (corn). The approaches used to conduct this research include 1) high-throughput field phenotyping (UAS/drones, ground vehicles, NIRS), 2) molecular quantitative genetic discovery (including QTL mapping, GWAS), 3) statistical modeling and novel analysis methods (including big data and metanalysis), 4) development of new breeding and genetics approaches (including use of computer simulations), and ultimately 5) applied maize field breeding (classical and molecular). Primary traits of interest for discovering genetic variation and improvement in maize include yield, southern adaptation, stress (aflatoxin resistance, drought tolerance), plant height, composition (colored grain, high grain antioxidants, low phosphorus), and perennialism (ability to regrow over years). Graduate student training is deeply embedded in all of my research.Google ScholarORCID

TeachingDr. Murray teaches a course on the history of and current topics in American agriculture (SCSC 201) each fall and a graduate course in Molecular Quantitative Genetics in Plant Breeding (SCSC 643) each spring.

ServiceDr. Murray is the founder and editor of “The Plant Phenome Journal”, a Crop Science Society of America (CSSA) and Agronomy Society of America (ASA) open-access society journal. He serves as the Agronomic Science Foundation Board Chair. He has served as an associate editor for Crop Science and the Journal of Plant Registrations for a combined 11 years. He formerly served on the executive committee of the National Association of Plant Breeders (NAPB) for six years, the inaugural North American Plant Phenotyping Network elected board, as C-1 Division Chair in CSSA, and as a scientific meeting organizer for meetings including the American Seed Trade Association CSS conference (ASTA), the Texas Plant Protection Association (TPPA), and the Genetics of Maize-Microbe Interactions Workshop. He has served on a number of federal grant review panels and/or as an ad-hoc reviewer for ARPA-e, USDA-NIFA, NSF-BREAD, NSF-PGRP, and USDA-DOE.